Kidwell Sees Bright Future for WSU Ag Education

Calling her decision to leave really difficult and one has led to really painful goodbyes, outgoing Dean of WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences Kim Kidwell said the program will continue to be successful.

“I think the trajectory is just incredible, so if people can continue to build on the platform that’s been established and still stay embraced in the land grant mission that WSU is well known for; what the university contributes to the advancement of agriculture will continue to be phenomenal.”

Kidwell is leaving for her Alma Mater University of Illinois and an area where she grew up after spending the past 22 years at WSU.

Kidwell played a key role in shaping a new direction of WSU’s CAHNR’s program that worked to make students more job ready.

“Ag is a complicated, complex organism in every way. It’s not just one discipline that people tap into to be experts. People need a good background in plant pathology, entomology, crop sciences, soil sciences and economic sciences to really be good practitioners of what’s happening out there in the field.”

Kidwell is excited to expand Illinois’ ag portfolio and hopes that one day there could be a partnership with WSU.

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